Improvement in corsets



M. D. BIRGE & G. 0. SKIDMORB. Corset.

No. 208,456. Patented Oct. 1, 1878.

O A b PETERS, PHOTe-LITHOGRAPNER, wAsmNGTQ D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MANNING D. BIRGE AND GEORGE (l. SKIDMORE, OF OHIOAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNORS TO 0. O. HASKELL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,456, dated October1, 1878; application filed February 16, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MANNING D. BIRGE and GEO. O. SKIDMORE, of the cityof Ohicago, State of Illinois, have invented a new and usefulimprovement in the manner and principle of lacing corsets in front, inconnection with'improved corset-steels and their lacings, of which thefollowing is a specification:

In the manufacture of corsets heretofore the two halves or two parts ofa corset have been so made as to clasp closely together in the front bymeans of the metal fastening bordering up and down the front edge ofeach half, being clasped together by means of one of thefastening-steels, with small openrn gs in it, overlapping the othersteel, which has small projections on its surface, which hook into theopenings or slots of the former and outer steel, thereby holding thecorset in one place and one position, and forbidding the expansion ofthe corset in any manner in the front; and the only relief to be had inthat way is to loosen the common string lacing at the back of thecorset, which seldom afi'ords the relief Wanted, and in the part orparts desired by the wearer, for the reason that the loosening of thelacingcord in the back at any part loosens the fitting of the wholecorset from top to bottom, and in consequence certain parts of thecorset must remain too tight or distastefully loose by this usual modeof fastening. Furthermore, the old and still present mode of fasteningcorsets to the body, by lacing the corset together in the back, isgenerally acknowledged as most inconvenient for the wearer to do, andfrequently calls for the assistance of a second person;

Our invention consists in the construction of the front parts of acorset in such a manner that the front of the corset may be broughttogether by lacings, or by other modes of fastings hereinafterdescribed, and in such a manner as to admit of the entire front of acorset being drawn up and looped close together in its two parts, at thesame time allowing the wearer to slacken or loosen the corset, in wholeor in part, about the front, by fixed lacings, eyelet-tapes, or a chain.

Our improvement will afford the benefit of allowing a corset to be madeentire of one part or piece, for our principle allows the lacing orlooping by tape or chain to be done in the front of the corset, entirelyto the satisfaction of the wearer, and with a great deal of convenience.

If it be at all desirable in any cases, the corset may be made of twoparts, and so constructed as to lace at the back, in the usual way, thetwo parts fixed and permanen ly together, as the circumstances mightrequire; for this lacing of the back firmly together, in

effect, would be the same in the fit of the corset as if of one piecewhen used in our improved manner of bringing together and fastin g thefronts.

To better illustrate our invention we refer to the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure 1 represents a pair of corset-fastenin gs or corset-steels, asthey are usually termed. Their material should be of spring-steel, or ofany other substance suitable for the purpose. They are made of suchlengths as usually correspond with the lengths of the material in thecorset-front or of the corset-cloth. Attached to or fastened to thesecorsetsteels, and set on the outer face of them, are small flanged headpins or hooks, or turned loops of different patterns, for the purpose offastening to them the crossing lace-string, (or an eyelet-tape orchain,) which brings the steels together at any desired nearness. Thesesteels, of course, are attached to the corset, one to each front edge ofthe corset material, either by the steels being run into a hem on ornear the edge of the corset-cloth, and the cloth punched or cut out inthe places where the hooks, loops, or eyelets of the steel are, to admitof lacing over them; or the steels may be attached to the corset-clothby being riveted on, or by any of the common processes now used forattaching the steels to the cloth.

The pins, hooks, or eyelets may be attached to or placed in the steelsat any distance apart, for the convenient lacing or looping together ofthe two parts, and one style only need be attached toeach pair ofsteels.

a to represent a fastening consisting of a small metal plate, with eachend tightly turned over the edges of the steel to hold it in place. Tothe center of this plate is welded,

lacings, eyelet-tape, or chain which brings the two parts of the corsettogether.

ffrepresent drilled openings through the corset-steels, through whichthe lacings, eyelet-tape, or chain may pass in bringing the two partstogether.

Any of the fastenings above described, or

the openings in the steels, may be attached to the steels, or placed inthem at such distances apart as to afford a strong and convenient lacingof the corset together. The fastenin gs on the steels may also beriveted or welded The dotted line w x in the drawing represents thelacing-string (or if it be an eyelettape or chain) alternately crossedfrom one steel to the other, and at each crossing attached to one of thehooks or into an eyelet.

Fig. 2 of the drawing represents an eyelettape for the bringing togetherand fastening of the corset-steels. It can be made of any strong cotton,linen, or silk material, of proper length and suitable width for thepurpose, and in it, at proper distances apart, are woven eyelets, oreyelets of metal. This tape could also be made of fine leather orbuckskin, with eyelets attached to it.

Fig. 3 represents a chain which can be used forafastening instead of theeyelet-tape. The chain can be made of a strong wire, with welded links,the wire being fine, which would make it convenient and lasting.

Fig. 4 represents a cord which would also be used for fastening in placeof either of the above. Knots are tied or interwoven, or by separatepieces attached, to the cord, in such a way as to give strength andconvenience in fastening the corset together.

It will thus be seen that a corset fastened together in front by the newmethod herein given will afford abundant strength to itself, and will bea great convenience to the wearer, for the following reasons First, thecorset may be made all in one--that is, without other opening than thatin front-aud still be adjustable by our method of fastening, and thiswhether the corset be woven or made in a single piece, or made in twoparts, for if in two parts, they are firmly and permanently joinedtogether at the back secondly, by attaching to the front of the corsetthe pair of steels, with their hooks or eyelets, as described, and byusing the eyelet-tape, chain, or cord herein described to bring and lacethe corset together, we produce an effect that has long been wanted, butwhich has not before been applied-i. e., by using one or more tapes,chains, or cords the wearer of the corset can lace or fasten the corseteither closely or loosely at any part; for instance, if the wearerwished to close the parts together at the top and in the center of thecorset, the openings of the tape, chain, or cord would quickly attach toa hook of the steel, passing across from one steel to the other, and ifthe wearer did not wish to lace the corset any farther down, then thefastenin gs were already secured. If itwas a desire to allow the lowerportion of the corset to expand for bodily convenience, yet keep itpartially laced, a few links or eyelets could be skipped at eachcrossing from one side to the other. The steels in the meantime, beinglight and elastic, would at once adapt themselves and the fitting of thecorset to the position desired. The fastening of the corset could bemade, vice versa, close at the bottom, and in the center, and open atthe top, or close at top and bottom, and open in the center, thefastenin gs always remaining where placed, and the corset kept inposition accordingly. A straight cord could also be used in the lacingof the corset, its action being the same if the lacing is to be evenfrom top to bottom; and if the corset is to be contracted or expanded,the lacing could be proportionately adjusted by tying the cord inplaces, or by otherwise fixing it stationary at any place desired.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- The method hereindescribed of lacing corsets in front by means of the eyelet-tape, chain,or cord, in combination with the corsetclasps provided with hooks,studs, or other suitable fastening devices, all constructed and arrangedto operate substantially as set forth.

MANNING D. BIRGE. GEO. O. SKIDMORE. Witnesses:

DANIEL SGULLY, ERVIN A. SoHNEs.

